The Three Keys
by Blacksin
Summary: A girl finds herself trapped between temptation and terror as she and Snape race to find out the keys to Hogwart's defense system before it's too late.


A/N  
  
Disclaimer: Belinda Blacksin and her family belong to me, but Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy and the world of Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling. This is my first fanfic, so be nice. If anybody wants to help me out by giving tips and reviews, it's greatly appreciated! ^_^  
  
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Prologue  
  
She stood perfectly still in a straight backed way, holding her head high. Just like she had been taught.  
  
The little enchanted twinkling stars fell lightly from the high domed ceiling like summer snow, and the room buzzed with contented murmuring. The enormous bay windows that led to the balcony were all open, and a light breeze was fluttering the filmy white drapes. Even the air was charmed to carry the hint of wildflowers. She watched the people in lavish dress robes talking, mixing, and dancing.  
  
Belinda Blacksin wasn't dancing, however. Her deep blue eyes were sweeping from one person to the next.  
  
Ministry. Death Eater. Ministry. Ministry. Death Eater. Unknown. Ministry. Who cares?  
  
To the outsider, one would never guess the parties held at Blacksin Castle, home for generations to the Blacksin family, were always strictly business. Belinda knew her mother and brother were also lost somewhere in the crowd, furthering the chess game of politics. Her family was a long line of pureblood wizard nobles, after all. Brought up in a world of money, power, and prestigious titles. All the best galleons could buy; the things fantasy stories were made of. She thought about the fairytale books she had read as a child of princes, and princesses, and nobles and how the books made it all sound like they all had an easy life.  
  
Fairytales, one quickly learned in this world, were a hell of a lot of work.  
  
Silver platters did cost money after all, and those fairytales never spoke of the Prince spending long hours at his desk signing documents or the Princess standing around trying to strike a deal with a Duke over land deeds. Didn't cut book sales, most likely.  
  
Her eyes fell on her father standing near the end of the buffet table, talking with a ministry official. He turned when he felt his daughter's eyes on him. The look he gave her was subtle but pointed before he resumed his attention to the conversation with the man in front of him.  
  
Those fairytales never spoke of courtly intrigue either, unless you knew how to look beneath the rhymes.  
  
She knew. She was the daughter of Death Eaters, after all.  
  
She ignored the look he gave her. Right now she was going to have a break and have a drink before going back to work. All she really wanted to do at the moment was go to bed. She had already spent half the night standing around or dancing with some of the younger government officials. Fools that they were, babbling private business at events like this.  
  
For if nothing else, Belinda Blacksin was a good observer. Her family were really the ones who had the flair for these sorts of gatherings. Belinda, had somehow had that silver spoon missing from her genetic makeup. Her looks in general were forgettable. While her family gathered admiration, she gathered books. While her family loved large parties, she loved peace and quiet. While her family preferred the limelight, she preferred the candlelight.  
  
She knew when to shut up and when to disappear. And when to listen.  
  
Speaking of which, what was Lucius Malfoy babbling on about over there?  
  
***  
  
He watched her face in profile as she scanned the room.  
  
Her robes were the color of wine, in sumptuous satins and velvets. She wore little jewelry, merely a few rings and a delicate silver runespoor pendant. The three headed snake holding a blood red stone around her neck.Symbol of the Blacksin family. Her fine, dark-gold hair was mounted onto her head like a crown, with a small to hold it in place. Her face and skin were pale, with delicate nose, full lips, and eyes of deep blue. Somebody had obviously spent hours designing this look for her and it really was very flattering.  
  
Without really knowing it, Severus Snape had been staring at her for the better part of five minutes. This, he realized too late, was a big mistake.  
  
Lucius Malfoy came and clapped a hand on his shoulder, grinning broadly, with a spark of malicious joy glowing in his eyes. "Victor's little sister finally caught up, didn't she?" He smirked at Severus, running a quick glance over her and then over him. "Amazing what a few make-up charms can do, isn't it? Just think, you'll be in a position of power over that in a couple of weeks. She's in your house, you know. How she ever got in is beyond me, but go on, chat her up. Maybe you'll get lucky and she'll want to start earning a little extra credit early."  
  
"Lucius," he said in a deceptively soft voice, black eyes glittering with warning, "I can assure you that-"  
  
"Now, now, Sev," Malfoy interrupted gently shaking Snape's shoulders slightly. "Just keep one thing in mind: Oral reports."  
  
He heard a few sniggers come from behind them and Snape turned just ever so slightly to see Avery, LeStrange, and Goyle watching them. He knew they were waiting to see how he'd react. He felt his insides curling in disgust. For all his attractive shine, Malfoy was still a tarnished knut dipped in gold plating.  
  
"Lucius, enough." Snape growled. He wasn't easy to intimidate, but every now and again, Snape managed to put enough edge into his voice that made even Malfoy switch gears.  
  
Lucius rolled his eyes, "If you weren't so all-fired serious all the time you'd have more fun, you know. You're about to spend most of the year around children and people old enough to be your grandparents. You need to relax." he grinned conspiratorially, guiding Snape to the refreshment table to where the Blacksin girl was standing.  
  
"I'm perfectly well rested, thank you." Snape gritted out, trying to pull away as discreetly as he could without causing a scene.  
  
Malfoy smiled wickedly then, suddenly stopping him right next to a bewildered looking Belinda Blacksin.  
  
"Come on man, live it up a little!" he said cheerfully, and shoved him hard from behind.  
  
***  
  
She barely managed to stick her foot back in time to keep her balance as a tall, black-haired young man was suddenly thrust into her arms.  
  
He quickly recovered his balance and seemed to start to apologize, dusting off the deep green dress robes he was wearing, but abruptly stopped looking at her.  
  
Their eyes met, and she tried to read his face. Which turned out to be impossible. After his initial look of shock at being so rudely shoved, it was a very careful, neutral mask he wore. She searched her mind for a name. His eyes were as black as his shoulder length hair, deep and penetrating. Not the most handsome face she'd ever seen, with his pale complexion and generous nose, yet still compelling in its own way. He looked familiar too. She guessed if he knew Malfoy, he probably went to school with her brother Victor, who was standing across the room, silently watching them.  
  
Finally breaking the tense silence between them, she held out a hand to him, which he took in a reflexive motion, shaking it.  
  
"Hello," she said. "I see you are Malfoy's latest experiment."  
  
"Pardon?" he asked in a surprisingly deep, velvet voice.  
  
"Malfoy. I see he's pretending to play matchmaker tonight."  
  
"Erm, yes, well, I'm terribly sorry about that." he said a bit awkwardly, looking like he was searching for a reason to escape. She realized she had just said the wrong thing and embarrassed him. Damn.  
  
She shook her head. "No need for you to apologize.You don't have to dance with me if you don't want to." She corrected.  
  
"It's not that.er, I just didn't wish to put you on the spot. Would you like to dance?" he asked.  
  
"Certainly.er."  
  
"Severus. Severus Snape."  
  
She put down her goblet and took his offered arm as he led her out to the dance floor. The music had struck up a waltz, which Belinda was glad of. She really wasn't much of a dancer, but she had been drilled enough not to step on other people's feet. They slid easily into the practiced steps. His manner was rather reserved and stiff. At least he's not drunk, she thought, like most of the other people were by this time. She looked into his deep black eyes which reminded her of a pair of black crystals.  
  
"Enjoying yourself?" she inquired, just to break the silence.  
  
"About as much as you seem to be." He said.  
  
"Well, then I have no sympathy for you. At least you can leave." She said.  
  
He smiled a bit at this as he twirled her around. "You're still going to Hogwarts, aren't you?" he asked at a length.  
  
"Yes. My final year." She said. "Weren't you a classmate of Victor's?"  
  
"Yes. I remember seeing you in the Slytherin common room from time to time." he said.  
  
Ahhhh, yes. Now she remembered him. She would have been twelve when he graduated, and she remembered seeing him and her brother talking occasionally. He had been a serious, quiet boy that always had a look of purpose on his face. Hadn't changed much in the last five years either, apparently, though he had lost that gangly look of a teenager. She found she was sort of being lulled by his voice, which was soft and deep.  
  
"So, what have you been doing with yourself since you graduated?" she asked. May as well make chit-chat. She didn't really need to gather information from him. She was sure he was a Death Eater.  
  
He shrugged a bit in time with their swaying and flicked his fingers in a gesture to the room. "Mostly pushing papers with the rest of the crowd here. Nothing glamorous."  
  
She smiled, "Are you saying our parties are not glamorous enough for you?"  
  
He smiled ever so slightly at this. "I didn't say glamour held any interest to me."  
  
"Good thing too, saves you a lot of money in the long run."  
  
He chuckled. "Are you looking forward to going back to school?" he asked.  
  
Was she! She was getting terribly bored at home, and being around her family for any length of time was always stressful, but she didn't tell him any of this. She had been taught since she was little to always act happy and fine even if she wasn't. Like now. This whole party itself was just an act. A way for her family, who was involved with the Death Eaters, to gather information.  
  
"Oh yes," she said carefully, "This promises to be an exciting year. I'm going to miss it after this."  
  
"What's your favorite class?"  
  
"Transfiguration is my best subject." She said, "But I think Potions would be next."  
  
"Potions was my favorite subject." He said, almost absently.  
  
"Did you hear Arabella Figg retired?" she asked, talking about their old Potions Master and Head of House Slytherin.  
  
He nodded slowly. "About time. I thought for certain she'd become another Professor Binns."  
  
She laughed, "I doubt the Bloody Baron would have appreciated that. She'd have ousted him as the Slytherin House ghost by sicing the spirits of her all her dead cats on him!"  
  
He chuckled at this. Belinda was surprised to find she was actually enjoying herself a bit, which was rare at these parties.  
  
The waltz ended and they parted. He bowed to her as she curtsied. She was a little sorry to see it end. It had been nice simply to have a real conversation with somebody. One that wasn't geared to making them say certain things.  
  
"Severus, Belinda." came a drawling voice. Victor was sauntering up to them. Her big brother wore the standard good-natured host smile on his golden-boy good looks.  
  
"Victor." He said.  
  
"Brother." she said.  
  
"Good to see you Severus." Victor said, shaking Snape's hand. "Before your back hitting the books again." he chuckled, "from the other side of things."  
  
Severus cleared his throat a bit as Belinda furrowed her brow a little.  
  
"I know you will take good care of my sister." He added. Belinda looked startled, and Severus looked askance at her.  
  
"Pardon?" Belinda said.  
  
Victor looked surprised. "Didn't he tell you? He's taking over Arabella Figg's old position at Hogwarts!" he said.  
  
Belinda was stunned. She was dancing with her teacher?  
  
"Yes, well, we were getting to that." Snape said slowly.  
  
"Do you mind if I have the next dance?" Victor asked, already pulling Belinda into his arms. Severus nodded. Belinda looked at him in shock, and he smiled back at her. "I shall see you when quarter starts. Goodbye, Miss Blacksin."  
  
"Goodbye." was all she could say, totally unable to think of how to address him.  
  
"See you, Severus!" Victor said as he pulled her out onto the dance floor. As soon as the music had picked up again, before she had a chance to speak, he whispered "I want you to stay away from that one."  
  
She whispered in his ear "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked fiercely.  
  
"It's a recent appointment, I just found out myself tonight." He whispered back, annoyed.  
  
"But I'm the spy at Hogwarts!" she hissed.  
  
"Yes, but you know only mother, father, and I, know about that. You will continue your work as planned. It was a good stroke of luck for him to be hired as staff. He'll keep Dumbledore busy while you gather information on the defense system for the school." He looked at her pointedly, "But he doesn't know about you, understand? We can't chance any slip ups, not now. If he gets caught, you and your information will be safe, so you had better keep your mouth shut."  
  
He gripped her arm bruisingly hard and she winced.  
  
"Yes, Victor." She said.  
  
"Good." 


End file.
